Christopher Noto, PhD

Biography

I grew up in upstate New York, where I developed a passion for fossils and natural history at an early age. I received a BS from the University of Chicago, where I worked with paleontologist Paul Sereno as a fossil preparator. While there I helped prepare specimens of the dinosaurs Suchomimus, Jobaria, and Afrovenator and the giant crocodilian Sarcosuchus. I also worked as a research assistant with geologist Fred Ziegler, where I had the opportunity to help revise a chapter for the second edition of The Dinosauria. I went on to earn a PhD in Ecology and Evolution with advisor Catherine Forster at Stony Brook University in 2009. Prior to coming to Parkside I was a visiting professor at Grand Valley State University, where I taught human anatomy.

Teaching, Research/Creative & Consulting Interests

Teaching Interests

I have over ten years experience as both a laboratory and lecture instructor, including active inquiry, scholarly research and writing, fieldwork, and organismal dissection. I am passionate about education and consider teaching to be among my most important contributions as a scientist. Teaching is as much about knowing the subject as it is about the ability to communicate it. As an educator, I believe it is not only my responsibility to help students learn how to think about information, but to train them how to apply this knowledge as the professionals or educated citizens they will become. I also consider public outreach to be an important part of my job as an educator. I have participated for many years in outreach activities for the public to help educate them about evolution and science in general. This experience has taught me a great deal about engaging people with diverse interests and backgrounds in science.

Research Interests

At heart I consider myself a paleoecologist, with a wide range of research interests related to taphonomy, comparative anatomy, paleobiogeography, and functional morphology. I have done extensive field work in Texas, Wyoming, and Utah.
To date, my research has focused on two main areas: 1) the interplay between climate patterns, local environmental conditions, and vertebrate diversity at different spatial scales; and 2) using functional morphological and biomechanical principles to understand the ecology and evolution of dinosaurs and Mesozoic communities.
Currently I am using geometric morphometrics to examine shape variation in fossil claws as well as studying the internal anatomy of bird claws to better reconstruct dinosaur claw soft tissue anatomy. This work allows for exploration of ecological differences between theropod species and the evolution of the theropod forelimb, especially with regards to the evolution of flight.
I am also involved with describing the vast collection of fossils coming out of the Arlington Archosaur Site (http://arlingtonarchosaursite.com), including fish, amphibians, mammals, turtles, dinosaurs, and a new species of giant crocodilian.

Consulting Interests

Publications

Selected Publications

2017: A large neosuchian crocodyliform from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) Woodbine Formation of North Texas,
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology
(e1349776 pp.)

2017: New data towards the development of a comprehensive taphonomic framework for the Late Jurassic Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, Central Utah,
PeerJ
(e3368 pp.)